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These Are Days
By mel

CHAPTER 6

Alex let out a long sigh as she arched her back, stretching muscles and ligaments that had spent far too much time hunched over a desk for one day. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was already a little after five o'clock. She pursed her lips as she looked at the stack of manila file folders on the corner of her desk that was markedly smaller than it was earlier that morning, and decided that she had done enough for one day. She stood, taking the opportunity to stretch again, and smiled as her phone started playing Olivia's ringtone.

"Hey love," she answered, the smile that was on her face clearly evident in her tone.

"Hey yourself, Counselor," Olivia replied. "I was just calling to see if you were almost done for the day or not. I'm heading home to change before dinner with Carmichael and company."

"I was actually thinking of heading home myself," Alex shared. "Why don't you swing by and pick me up?"

"I can do that," Olivia chuckled as she reached out and twisted the knob on the closed door in front of her.

Alex looked up as her peripheral vision caught her office door swinging open and she started laughing as she turned off her phone and tossed it carelessly onto the desk. "You're here," she observed softly as she automatically made her way out from behind her desk to gather her detective in her arms.

Olivia smiled and shrugged. "I just wanted to see you," she confessed as she wrapped her arms around Alex's waist and pulled the attorney in close. "God I missed you today."

"Mmm," Alex agreed as she buried her face in her lover's throat, breathing in deep Olivia's unique scent of sandalwood and leather. "I missed you too."

Olivia sighed and tightened her hold on the younger woman, enjoying the simple intimacy of the embrace. She thought of the ring in her coat pocket and smiled as she briefly considered giving it to Alex right then, but opted to wait until they were home – in the privacy of their apartment. "You ready to go then?"

"Almost," Alex murmured as she looked up at Olivia, her keen blue eyes sparkling with love. "I need a kiss first."

Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes dramatically. "So demanding…"

"You know it," Alex smirked as she leaned in and claimed Olivia's lips in a deep, passionate kiss that ended far too soon for either of their liking but probably lasted a few seconds too long for their location. "Just let me get my satchel and I'm good," she murmured as she reluctantly pulled away.

Serena stopped halfway into her large walk-in closet and turned to her girlfriend who was lying on their bed, hands folded behind her head in a pose of relaxation. "No," she said, her tone emphatic. "You are not going to get Alex hammered on tequila."

"But Ser," Abbie whined as she sat up and put on her most adorable pout that almost always got her whatever it was she was wanting.

Serena chuckled and shook her head. "You're cute, Carmichael, but you're not that cute. One drink is all you're allowed to buy her tonight."

Abbie frowned as she considered her options. "So, what if each of the guys wants to buy her a drink?"

"That depends," Serena shrugged as she turned back to her closet to look for the shirt she wanted to wear to dinner that night. "Do you want to get lucky again before you have to go back to DC?"

Abbie nodded. "Hell yeah."

Serena laughed softly to herself as she pulled the blouse she was looking for off its hanger. She slipped it on over her head and smoothed it into place as she turned to face her lover. "Then she's not getting drunk on tequila tonight."

"You're no fun," Abbie grumbled, her smile belying her tone as she jumped off the bed and quickly crossed the room to where her girlfriend was standing so she could gather the blonde in her arms.

Serena laughed and threw her arms around the Texan's neck. "Now, honey, that's not what you were saying last night. Last night I was the most fun ever."

"That's because last night you were licking chocolate sauce off my body," Abbie retorted, burying her face in the crook of Serena's neck and pressing a hot, wet kiss to the blonde's pulse point.

"Mmm," Serena hummed, smiling at both the memory and the feeling of Abbie's mouth on her body. "We'll have to do that again soon."

"How 'bout now?" Abbie drawled, arching a brow hopefully. "Only, let me be the licker," she waggled her brows.

Serena laughed, wanting to dismiss the suggestion outright, but knowing as well that Abbie would be leaving for DC at the end of the week. "We can't be late," she warned.

"Oh, darlin', don't you know the party doesn't start until I show up?" Abbie teased as she laid a loud, overdramatic kiss to the blonde's lips before releasing her to literally skip down the hall toward the kitchen in search of the leftover chocolate sauce from the night before.

"So what are you going to wear tonight?" Alex called over her shoulder as she walked into their bedroom, kicking her heels off in the general direction of the closet as she began shrugging her arms out of her suit jacket.

"Why?" Olivia asked, already knowing what the blonde's response would be but wanting to use it as a way to give her the ring that was beginning to burn a hole in her pocket.

"So I know what to wear," Alex answered as she turned to find her fiancée leaning nonchalantly against the wall watching her. "What?"

"I have something for you to wear," Olivia murmured as she pushed off of the wall.

"You do?" Alex asked, her heart suddenly taking flight in her chest as their conversation from earlier that morning sprang to mind.

"Mmm," Olivia nodded as she stopped in front of Alex. "I was thinking that you could maybe wear this," she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small blue box, "for… the rest of your life."

"Liv," Alex whispered as she looked down at the box and then back up into her love's warm gaze.

Olivia smiled and flipped the lid open to retrieve the ring that was nestled inside. She palmed the ring and tossed the empty box onto the dresser beside Alex as she took hold of the blonde's hand that, she noticed, was shaking ever so slightly. "You okay?"

Alex sucked her lower lip between her teeth and nodded, the weight of her focus on Olivia's hand that was cradling her own.

Olivia studied Alex carefully for a moment before nodding slowly as she rolled the ring out to between her thumb and middle finger so she could place it onto Alex's hand where it would hopefully stay forever. The ring slid easily up over Alex's knuckle and, as soon as it was in place, she lifted the blonde's hand to her lips to lay a slow, soft kiss to skin and stone. "I love you," she murmured as she pulled away, letting Alex see the ring for the first time.

Alex looked down at her hand and gasped, her eyes bugging out of her head as her jaw dropped in a most unladylike manner that had Olivia laughing softly. "Liv, it's too much," she murmured.

"It's not," Olivia assured her, knowing by the look on Alex's face that she had chosen well. "It looks good on you."

Alex looked up at her fiancée, her eyes filling with tears of joy. "We're getting married."

Olivia laughed and pulled the younger woman into her arms. "We are," she confirmed, punctuating the statement with a kiss.

"I love you," Alex breathed as she leaned in to rest her forehead against Olivia's.

"I love you too, Sweetheart," Olivia replied easily as she tightened her hold on Alex's waist and lifted her chin to claim the blonde's lips in a kiss that started slow and reverent but quickly turned hot, deep, and hungry.

Hands roamed, opening buttons and zippers and sliding clothes from shoulders and hips until they were left standing in their underwear, chests heaving as they stared at each other with lust-darkened eyes.

"We can't be late," Alex warned ineffectually as she palmed Olivia's breasts possessively through the thin material of the brunette's bra.

"We can be a little late," Olivia corrected as she pinched Alex's bra open, quickly removing it and tossing it aside.

"We… ahhh…," Alex sighed as Olivia's fingers began lightly tweaking and rolling her nipples.

"What was that?" Olivia teased as she dipped her head down to take a hardened point between her lips. She moaned as she felt Alex arch forward into her mouth as she sucked hungrily against the nipple.

Alex's eyes rolled back in her head as her body quickly became overwhelmed with sensation, her earlier argument forgotten on the wave of arousal that pooled between her thighs. "Mmm," she hummed, her right hand sliding around the back of Olivia's head to hold the woman to her breast as her left slid over a well-muscled back to release the clasp on the brunette's bra.

Olivia smiled, loving how they always seemed to be so in tune with each other, as she allowed her bra to fall to the floor. She released the nipple she'd been playing at to capture Alex's surprised lips in a deep, searing kiss as she began walking the blonde backwards toward their bed. "I love you," she murmured as she guided Alex down to the mattress, following the blonde down with her own body so they remained pressed tightly together.

Alex moaned and claimed Olivia's lips hungrily, opening her mouth upon contact and immediately deepening the kiss as she pulled her lover down on top of her. Her body relaxed into the mattress as it was blanketed by warm, silky skin. She ran her hands over Olivia's back, up and down, grasping, pulling the brunette in to her as they kissed. She groaned as she felt Olivia's body shift to settle between her legs, the groan turning into a quiet whimper as the brunette thrust into her.

Olivia felt Alex's legs fall open wider beneath her and knew that she had earned the blonde's submission. She broke away from Alex's lips and began laying hot, wet kisses down the column of the attorney's pristine alabaster throat, nipping gently at sensitive spots and sucking lightly against others. She worked her way down her lover's body deliberately, a kiss at a time, until she was able to press a soft kiss to the hollow between Alex's breasts – a silent promise of love, and unspoken vow of forever.

Promises made, she ran the tip of her tongue in concentric circles up Alex's right breast, spiraling higher and higher until she was able to lay a broad, flat lick across the already swollen tip. She smiled as she heard Alex moan softly at the contact, and wasted no time gathering the bud between her lips and sucking against it hungrily, teasing it to an even harder point before releasing it to deliver identical attentions to Alex's other breast.

Alex writhed under Olivia's mouth, tangling her hands in the sheets as the brunette made love to her breasts. Sometimes, as Olivia was lavishing attention upon them, she was not sure who enjoyed the act more – her or her detective – but tonight, tonight it was looking like it might be a draw. "My god, Liv," she groaned as the brunette abandoned her nipple to begin laying feather soft kisses upon the mound.

Olivia hummed happily and shifted her weight so she was balanced on her knees and able to bring her hands up to play as well. "You have the most gorgeous breasts," she murmured as she sat up and covered the perfectly sized mounds with her hands. She licked her lips appreciatively at the feeling of Alex's nipples pressing into her palms, and automatically began massaging the flesh in her hands.

"Christ," Alex groaned as she looked up into smoldering mahogany eyes.

Olivia smiled and looked down to watch her hands work, sliding them off to the sides so she could rub her thumbs back and forth over Alex's nipples, enjoying the sight of the rosy tips reacting to her touch. She let her gaze flick back up to Alex's face and she noticed that the blonde's clear blue eyes had darkened to the color of the sea at midnight. "You are so beautiful," she murmured as she released her hold on Alex's breasts and ran her palms down the blonde's toned, quivering stomach to play lightly with the top of her fiancée's panties.

"Please, Liv," Alex whimpered, lifting her hips off of the mattress pleadingly.

Olivia licked her lips and nodded as she slipped her fingers under the fabric and began working the scrap down Alex's legs, delighting in the sight of Alex laid across their bed, naked and flushed with arousal. She watched the way Alex's eyes leveled on her own remaining piece of clothing and obligingly removed it as well. "Better?" she smiled.

"Liv," Alex groaned, spreading her legs wider, offering herself to the brunette.

"Christ," Olivia gasped at the sight of Alex open and waiting for her. It was too much to ignore, impossible to refuse, and she smiled up at her lover as she climbed back on to the bed, sliding her arms under those widespread, welcoming legs, pushing them further apart as she moved closer to her goal.

Alex moaned appreciatively as she watched Olivia's mouth get closer and closer to where she wanted her, where she needed her. Her grip on the sheets under her tightened as she watched Olivia's eyes flutter closed as that final distance separating them grew smaller and smaller.

Olivia moaned softly to herself as she breathed deep the intoxicating aroma of Alex's arousal, savoring the scent for a moment before she extended her tongue to lay a slow, exploratory lick through moist, swollen folds. The taste of Alex coated her tongue, overriding all of her other senses as she drowned in the blonde's essence. Needing more, she repeated the motion, once, twice, five times, each time stopping just short of the already exposed and pulsing bundle at Alex's apex.

Alex writhed under Olivia's mouth, her hips bucking spastically, searching for that elusive contact she craved as the brunette's tongue continued to run through her, over and over again. She screamed when Olivia's tongue pushed inside her, her hips automatically grinding onto her lover's mouth, trying to draw the invading muscle deeper. She whimpered as she felt that heat, that fire, that promise pull away but was silenced by strong hands wrapping tightly around her thighs and holding her still as Olivia began thrusting into her at a slow, steady pace.

Her hips fell into a steady rhythm against' Olivia's mouth, meeting each thrust of the brunette's tongue eagerly, welcoming the penetration, savoring the burning friction, reveling the way each plunge and retreat stretched that most sensitive muscle. And while she loved every moment of Olivia's tongue fucking her slowly, she knew that she would need a little bit more to reach the promise land.

Olivia knew it too, and before Alex could take matters into her own hand, the brunette slid her right hand over Alex's hip to dip lightly into the blonde's center, lightly flicking over the straining, pulsing bundle she had thus far ignored just as she pushed back inside hot, clinging velvety walls.

A primal, animalistic scream tore from Alex's throat as Olivia's fingers began making tight, firm circles against her clit in time with every plunge and retreat of the brunette's tongue inside her. "Fuck!"

Olivia felt herself flood at the blonde's outburst and moved her mouth up to Alex's clit, sucking the bundle between her lips and lashing it lightly with her tongue as she slid the hand that had been teasing the point under the blonde's leg to push decisively into her lover's heat.

She could tell from the way Alex's hips were rocking against her mouth that the blonde was close, so close, and while she loved the taste of her lover as she came undone, she loved even more to watch that storm build in her eyes until the point of release flashed through them like a bolt of lightning arcing across a night sky. So it was with one last long, broad, heavy lick across that jumping bundle of nerves that she worked her way back up Alex's body, her stroke never faltering as she moved higher and higher until she was able to claim the blonde's lips in a soul deep, searing kiss.

Alex moaned loudly at the taste of herself on her lover's tongue and her hands abandoned their holds on the sheets to dig into Olivia's back. She held on tight as Olivia's thrusts grew faster and more powerful, her nails dug deeper into flawless olive skin with every smack of the brunette's palm against her clit. The blinding white heat that was burning low in her hips began to spread outward with every thrust until she felt like she was on fire, ready to explode.

Olivia grunted and pushed herself harder, spurred on by the senseless words falling from Alex's normally eloquent mouth. Somehow, "Fuck… Christ… god, yes… harder… love… you… so… fucking… good… holy… shit… my… god… Liv," had never sounded so articulate. She shifted her weight to add her hips to her thrusts, so that she was thrusting even harder and faster into Alex until the room was full of the wet, frantic sounds of fucking and Alex's screams of pleasure.

Alex's mouth fell open in a silent scream as her release hit her, knocking her breathless with that first, paralyzing clenching of muscles. When that first spasm eased, she moaned throatily and gave herself over to the waves rolling through her, welcoming each one as her hips continued to rock Olivia's hand, meeting and accepting each and every one of the brunette's slower, gentler thrusts.

When the last spasm left her boneless and weak, she relaxed into the mattress and smiled stupidly at her lover. "Holy fuck, Liv."

Olivia laughed softly and kissed the blonde deeply. She was still painfully aroused, but her own need was quickly forgotten as she focused on Alex's loving gaze. "I love you."

"Mmm," Alex purred, looking every bit like a contented jungle cat. "Love you too," she murmured, lifting her head to kiss Olivia's lips before she used her body to flip the brunette over onto her back.

"Hello," Olivia chuckled.

Alex smiled. "Hi," she replied as she ran her hands down over Olivia's breasts to tweak the brunette's nipples playfully.

"God, Alex," Olivia groaned as the electricity from Alex's touch upon her breasts connected directly with her groin.

Alex smirked and tweaked the firm mocha nipples one last time before she released the points and moved down Olivia's body, settling between the brunette's legs. Her eyes roamed over a veritable ocean of desire and she couldn't help but feel more than a little touched that Olivia got this much pleasure from giving her pleasure. She licked her lips and dove in eagerly, wasting no time with winding the brunette up, giving no thought to teasing, or drawing things out as she quickly set upon Olivia's clit, delivering the exact amount of force and speed to the pulsing bundle to bring the brunette crashing over the edge. She smiled a small, self-satisfied smile as she felt Olivia tense under her and took her time laying light, soft licks to the sensitive point, helping her lover ride her release out for as long as possible.

When Olivia's body relaxed under her, she worked her way back up her detective's body, kissing as she went. She made sure to stop and pay homage to the delicious breasts that she had ignored earlier, lavishing them with licks and kisses until Olivia's hands wrapped around her shoulders to pull her higher.

She settled in on top of Olivia and kissed the brunette slowly, tenderly, before shifting down to nestle her head on the older woman's shoulder. "I love you, Liv," she murmured as she snuggled in closer.

Olivia smiled and wrapped her arms around her lover, enjoying as she always did the blonde's urge to cuddle after making love. "I love you too, Alex," she vowed.

They laid there, wrapped in each other, until the cool air of the room made their nakedness uncomfortable. Alex, being the most exposed, felt the chill first and when she lifted her head from Olivia's chest, her eyes automatically flicked to the alarm clock on the bedside table.

"Oh fuck," Alex groaned.

Olivia refused to open her eyes to see what had captured her fiancée's attention, and instead offered up an indistinct, "Hmm?"

Alex sighed and let her head drop back onto Olivia's chest, closing her eyes in defeat. "We're going to be late."

CHAPTER 7

Alex looked around the restaurant as they entered, hoping to catch sight of the rest of their group. As she had expected, they were indeed late, but she was hopeful that Serena would be able to contain Abbie long enough that none of the innocent diners would be subjected to the video on Carmichael's phone of her in the slutty pirate wench costume.

"Do you see them?" she asked as she scanned the people already seated around the restaurant. The lighting around the perimeter of the large room was warm, making it easy enough to discern that the people she was looking for were not on that half of the restaurant.

"Nope," Olivia murmured as she too looked for their friends. Unlike Alex who started with the dining half of the restaurant, she started looking for everybody at the bar. Her motivation was simple, Abbie's devilish little laugh told her exactly what the crazy Texan was planning for the evening. Now it was just up to her to make sure Alex did not embarrass them both. Her eyes skimmed over a group of men in power-suits to land on her partner who was nursing a margarita and chatting with his wife. "Wait, yes I do. That's Elliot and Kathy over there by the bar."

"I told you we couldn't be late," Serena grumbled as she climbed into the cab that would take them to the restaurant.

"Bet Alex and Liv are going to be later," Abbie grinned, thinking of the ring Elliot said Olivia had bought. She placed a hand on Serena's thigh as she gave the driver the address for Rosa Mexicana, and settled back into the seat as the cab pulled out into traffic. She leaned in close to Serena, delighting in the small tremor of desire that she felt roll through her lover as she whispered, in her best bedroom voice, "Did you not enjoy yourself, Ms. Southerlyn?"

Serena smiled in spite of herself and shook her head. "I didn't say that," she whispered as she reached down and pulled Abbie's hand away.

"Did you enjoy yourself enough to let me get Alex wasted?" Abbie asked, her tone hopeful, as she wrapped her arm around Serena's shoulders and pulled the blonde in close.

Serena shook her head at her girlfriend's tenacity. "Neither you nor anyone you invited to this dinner will be getting Alex drunk this evening," she intoned seriously. "They just got engaged, this is a happy time for them – not an opportunity to make Alex go all drunken-grabby-hands and embarrass herself."

Abbie ignored the lecture and instead focused on what she considered to be the most pertinent part of Serena's statement. "Me and anybody I invited?" she asked as she tried to figure out a way around Serena's restrictions.

Serena let out a small laugh and shook her head. She knew Abbie was looking for a loophole, some weakness in her phrasing that could be exploited, so she added, "And you are not allowed to talk random strangers into buying her drinks either."

Abbie groaned and buried her face in the crook of the blonde's neck. "You know, you're a lot more fun naked."

Serena was about to respond when the cabbie decided to add his two cents to their conversation, "They all are, miss. They all are."

Alex smiled at Elliot as he jumped up off the stool he had been sitting on to let her have it. "Thanks," she murmured as she slid gracefully onto the perch. "So, who all is here?"

Elliot looked around the restaurant. "Fin and Munch will be here in a couple, they had to go talk to a witness who was claiming to have some new evidence for the Rawlings rape case. Abbie and Serena should be here but I haven't seen them yet."

Alex frowned and double-checked the tables to make sure Abbie was not out there harassing anybody, but there was still no sign of the Texan. She saw the bartender approach and turned to smile at him. "Cadillac on the rocks, please."

Elliot shot Olivia a look but she just shrugged. Her fiancée had enough of a tolerance to be able to handle a couple drinks without turning in to what they laughingly referred to as Tequila Alex. "Make that two," she told the bartender as she reached for her wallet.

"Nuh uh," Elliot put his hand on her shoulder. "I got this. It's not every day my partner goes and gets married."

Olivia just smiled.

"Did you give her the ring?" he whispered as he leaned in front of her to hand the bartender his card.

"She did," Alex answered with a grin as she spun around on her chair, holding her left hand out for their friends to see the ring Olivia had given her.

"Wow," Kathy exclaimed as she reached for Alex's hand and pulled it forcefully closer so she could have a better look. She looked up at Elliot with big puppy eyes and a small pout.

Elliot just laughed. "If we didn't have kids, maybe, honey. But thirty…"

"Hey!" Olivia hollered, interrupting her partner before he could share the gaudy details of exactly how much she had spent on Alex's ring with the room at large.

Elliot gave the brunette a sheepish smile as he realized that he had promised Olivia earlier that he would take the information of how much she had paid for the ring to his grave. "Sorry, Liv."

Serena let out a small sigh of relief as their cab pulled up in front of the restaurant. She had been forced to spend the last ten minutes of the drive listening to Abbie and the cabbie trading dirty jokes back and forth and while she would have loved to have made Abbie stop, she was rather enjoying the break from the brunette's scheming so she let it go. Plus, she had never heard the whale one before and that one was actually pretty funny.

"All right, last one," Abbie laughed as she handed the chortling driver a twenty. "What do you call a lesbian dinosaur?"

"Abbie, we are already late," Serena groaned.

"I dunno, what?" the cabbie replied.

"Lickalotapuss," Serena supplied the answer as she threw open the door and climbed out of the car to the sound of Abbie and the cabbie laughing way harder than the punch line required.

"God I love that joke," Abbie chuckled as she climbed out of the car as well.

"It's a real classic," Serena replied drolly.

"I know, isn't it?" Abbie grinned as she hurried to open the front door to the restaurant for Serena.

Serena just rolled her eyes and refused to answer as she sashayed through the door Abbie was holding for her. She scanned the restaurant for their group, whom she was sure would already all be there, and smiled when she saw that they were all still sitting around the bar. At least they were not too late then. "They're over there," she waved at the group and began making her way across the restaurant toward them.

As they got closer she could see who all was assembled, and she recognized the majority of the group but there were two men to Alex's left that she did not recognize. "Who is the blonde guy with his arm around Alex's shoulder?"

Abbie looked up and grinned. He was definitely with their group, and she most definitely did not invite him. "That would be her brother, Adam. And, I would like to point out, for the record, that I did not call him to tell him about this little shindig so he thereby does not count as being one of my invitees."

Serena knew what Abbie was getting at and started thinking quickly. "He was obviously invited by somebody you called, so you invited him by proxy."

"While that may be true Darlin', your exact words were me and anybody I invited," Abbie drawled as she slipped an arm around Serena's waist. "I did not invite him."

Serena groaned. She could argue semantics until they were both blue in the face, but in the end she had not accounted for somebody else inviting anybody to the dinner. "Please," she tried, giving Abbie her best pouty face that usually got her whatever she wanted.

Abbie laughed and laid a quick kiss to the blonde's lips. "'Fraid not, Sugah. I thought you had me dead to rights on this one, there's no way I'ma gonna look this gift horse in the mouth!"

Serena's shoulders slumped in defeat as she allowed Abbie to pull her across the restaurant toward the group assembled at the bar. She smiled at Alex who waved as they got closer and pulled the younger blonde into a hug. "Congratulations again," she murmured against her friend's ear. "I tried to rein Abbie in, but the sneaky little bitch found a loophole. Sorry."

Alex laughed and smiled as she pulled away. "I figured she might. Don't worry, it'll be okay. Ser, this is my brother Adam and his boyfriend Paul. Neither Maggie nor Matt could make it tonight so she called trouble here to tell him about the dinner," Alex filled her friend in.

"You made the drive down this afternoon?" Serena asked, surprised. That was one hell of a drive to make in the middle of the week.

"Well," Paul shrugged, "actually I flew us down."

"Wow – good looks, and a pilot too. I'm impressed," Abbie grinned as she pulled Adam away from the bar and into a big hug. "How you doing buddy?"

"Abbie," Adam laughed as he picked the lanky Texan up and spun her around. "Doing well. Doing well. How about you?"

"Can't complain."

Adam frowned and leaned in close to look at Abbie's neck. "Is that chocolate?"

"Fuck!" Serena hissed loud enough to draw everybody's attention to her. They had been running late enough that she did not let Abbie climb into the shower with her and the brunette had just shrugged it off and gotten dressed, figuring that she hadn't been the one covered in chocolate.

Alex smirked as she slid off her stool to have a look for herself. She had thought there was a faint aroma of chocolate on her friends but, until her brother pointed out the possible evidence, she had just figured it was her imagination. "Where?"

"Right there," Adam laughed and pointed at the spot where Abbie's jaw hinged. "See it?"

Abbie tried to rub it off, but the damage was already done as Alex grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away.

"I do believe you're right, Adam," Olivia chirped as she pulled out her phone to take a picture. "I am so putting that up on twitter."

"You celebrated my engagement with food sex?" Alex laughed as she looked from a mildly embarrassed Abbie to a completely humiliated Serena. "Wow. Should I be creeped out by the fact that you are so invested in my relationship with Olivia?"

Abbie just shook her head and laughed it off, figuring the damage was already done. "I was hungry."

"Too much fucking information Carmichael," Adam groaned as the rest of the group laughed.

"My third wife was also a fan of…" Munch started to share, but stopped when the rest of the group started yelling and covering their ears. He folded his arms over his chest and waited for the childish behavior to stop, and when the last set of hands fell he said, "You know, lesbians aren't the only ones who enjoy sex."

"Yeah, but they're the most fun to picture having it," Fin said as he smacked his partner upside the head. "Nobody wants to hear anything about your bony white ass doing anything like that."

Elliot nodded in agreement which earned him a smack upside the head from his laughing wife. "I don't ever want to hear about you picturing them that way," she mock threatened in a loud whisper, causing Olivia and Alex to blush and the rest of the group to start laughing again.

"On that note," Serena called out, "why don't we go to our table? The bartender is starting to look at us funny."

"Great idea, Darlin'," Abbie crowed as she slipped her arm through Adam's and steered him away from the bar. Serena rolled her eyes as she watched the brunette lean in close to whisper something to Alex's brother and she groaned loudly when he turned to Abbie with a devilish grin and gave the brunette a high five.

"They're planning trouble, aren't they?" Paul asked as he held his arm out for Serena.

Serena nodded and slipped her arm through his, letting him lead her to their table. "If you can keep him from getting Alex drunk on tequila I will owe you huge."

Paul laughed and shook his head. "I'll try and help you out but, from what I've heard, once those two get their devious little minds working together all bets are off."

CHAPTER 8

Alex smiled as she watched their group fall into line, one behind the other, to weave between a maze of tables to their larger table in the far back corner of the restaurant. She had figured out Abbie's plan for the evening the moment the crazy Texan had mentioned margaritas over the phone earlier, and she had come up with a plan to circumvent her friend's undoubtedly mischievous designs. She had not counted on her brother at the time, but she knew his weakness as well.

She looked up at Olivia, who was waiting for her, and held up a finger. "Just a second."

Olivia frowned, obviously confused, but nodded her assent. "Okay."

Alex gave her fiancée a beaming smile before she turned back to the bar and held up a hand to get the bartender's attention. He smiled and nodded, indicating with a wave of his hand that he would be with her in just a moment, and she used that break to savor the last bit of alcohol she would be having that evening. And it was a damn shame, really, because it really was an excellent margarita.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked with a smile.

Alex set her glass down on the bar and pushed it toward the man. "I appreciate your establishment's fine selection of tequila more than you will ever know, but I need three shots of whiskey, three shots of vodka, one shot of Patron Silver and two shots of water."

The bartender frowned in confusion. "Water?"

"Mmm," Alex nodded. "I need to get my brother and my friend hammered, and I need to keep my dear, dear friend Patron as far away from me as possible because I get a little grabby," she smiled at Olivia who just grinned and nodded, confirming her statement. "But, I need one shot that's real to make them think they all are."

Olivia laughed. "Oh god, Alex."

Alex turned to the brunette and grinned. "What? You can't say that they both don't deserve this."

"I said nothing of the sort," Olivia assured her, her mind flashing back to their New Year's party with the Cousins.

"So, three whiskeys, three vodkas, one Patron and… two waters?" the bartender clarified.

"Right," Alex nodded.

The bartender grinned and shook his head. He had heard some odd requests over the years, but somebody asking for shot glasses filled with water was definitely a first. "All right," he muttered as he pulled out a small tray and set it on top of the bar. Seven small glasses were set in the center and quickly filled with alcohol, the deep, rich amber of Abbie's whiskey setting a beautiful contrast to the clear nothingness of Adam's vodka. He then filled one glass with Patron and then took two shot glasses, filled them with water, and set them in line behind the tequila on the opposite side of Abbie's whiskey so that Alex's drinks were separated from Adam's vodka.

"How are you going to keep track of which drinks are yours and which are your brother's?" Olivia asked as she looked at the glasses.

"Good point," Alex frowned.

"No problem," the bartender grinned as he pulled out three little swords that he normally used to impale citrus for some of the restaurant's fruity margaritas and set one in each of Alex's 'shots'. "There ya go," he said as he slipped a blue sword in the first glass and then reds in the next two. "Your drinks have the swords – the blue sword is the tequila."

"You. Are. Awesome," Alex grinned as she handed over her card. He tipped his head and smiled as he turned to run her card. Once his back was turned, Alex reached out to wrap an arm around Olivia's waist. "I love you," she murmured.

"Love you too," Olivia whispered as she leaned in to press a soft kiss to the crown of Alex's head. "So, beyond the fake shots – what's your plan?"

"Here's your card," the bartender interrupted.

"You'll see," Alex answered as she reached for her card and the charge slip. She factored in a healthy tip for the bartender and scribbled her name across the bottom of the paper. "Thank you," she told him sincerely as she allowed Olivia to help her off the stool.

"My pleasure," he grinned as he nudged the tray toward Olivia, who picked it up easily.

"Game on," Alex grinned as she led the way across the restaurant toward the table where their group had assembled.

Olivia laughed softly and followed Alex across the restaurant. She could not help but shake her head at the sight of Abbie and Adam sitting next to each other, heads bowed together as they schemed. "I would like to remind you," she caught Abbie and Adam's attention as she set the tray down in front of the remaining two empty seats that had obviously been saved for her and Alex, "that you are sitting with four NYPD Detectives and two Assistant District Attorneys."

"And I'm a fuckin' Federal Prosecutor," Abbie drawled as she eyed the drinks on the tray. "So what's your point? Is that whiskey?"

"Yup," Alex grinned as she slid into the chair Olivia had pulled out for her. She gave her detective a shy smile of thanks before she turned her attention back to Trouble One and Trouble Two. "Figured I just got engaged, we need to do some shots. You two are drinking with me because Liv has to be able to drive us home."

"Why three?" Abbie asked.

Alex pursed her lips and decided the truth would be the best answer at this point. "Because if I had four I'd be tempted to do Liv on the table."

Abbie, Adam, Paul and Serena laughed loudly at that (all of them having experienced the absolute joy that is Tequila Alex at one point or another), while Olivia blushed, Fin and Much laughed, Elliot choked on his drink, and Kathy just stared at Alex who was grinning and staring challengingly at Abbie.

"What's with the swords?" Paul asked with a grin as he studied the drinks. He had seen Alex at her worst – or best, depending on how you wanted to look at it – and so he was completely unfazed by the blonde's bluntness.

"I like the silver tequila, so they are to differentiate between my drinks and Adam's," Alex said as she pulled her drinks off the tray. "Whiskey for Ms. Carmichael," she grinned as she set the three shots out in front of Abbie, "and Vodka for Mr. Cabot," she winked at her brother as she set his drinks down.

Serena caught Alex's left hand as she pulled back from setting her brother's glasses out and gasped. "Holy fuck, Liv!"

"I know, right?" Kathy laughed as she shot Elliot another pleading look, which was ignored as Elliot became suddenly fascinated with stirring his drink. "Have you guys picked a date?"

"Not yet," Olivia answered.

"We still have to decide what state to have the ceremony in," Alex chimed in.

Kathy frowned. "Why not New York?"

Alex sighed. "Because, while the state of New York recognizes same sex marriages performed out of state, it's not legal to actually get married here yet."

"Oh," Kathy hummed. "That doesn't seem fair. So, where can you get married? Massachusetts?"

Alex shook her head. "We're not residents there, so no. It'd most likely either be Connecticut, Vermont, or New Hampshire," she answered as she tried to pull her hand away from Serena, who was not letting go.

"So pretty," Serena murmured before turning her attention to her girlfriend. "Abbieeeeeeee," she whined, giving the Texan her biggest puppy dog eyes as she pointed at Alex's ring.

Abbie rolled her eyes. She had known that this was going to happen, but she just was not ready yet. "Damn. I need a drink," she groaned.

"A toast!" Adam crowed as he picked up one of his shot glasses and the rest of the table followed suit, with Alex picking up her glass with the blue sword while the rest of the table lifted their unfinished drinks that they had brought with them from the bar.

"Wait, how do we know Alex's shots are really tequila?" Abbie wondered aloud as she eyed Alex, who was holding her glass aloft, with great suspicion.

"You want to taste it, Carmichael?" Alex offered, offering the glass to her friend.

"Fuck yeah," Abbie growled as she took the glass and sniffed at it carefully. "Yeah, that's your Patron. But why are you offering to get yourself drunk?"

Alex shrugged and leaned in to Olivia. "We still have some celebrating left to do. And Liv likes how the tequila makes me aggressive."

"Hey!" Olivia protested and tried to take the glass away from Abbie. "I think you've had enough already Ms. Loose Lips," she said

Alex grinned. "You love my lips," she purred as she took the glass from Olivia's hand and slammed the shot. She ran her tongue over the body part in question seductively before she added in a mock whisper, "Especially when they're wrapped around your…"

"Alex," Olivia growled warningly, thinking that the surprisingly feisty blonde was not drunk enough to get away with finishing that statement.

Alex smiled at Olivia, knowing damn well she had consumed nowhere near the amount of alcohol it would take for her to be able to finish that sentence. "Love you," she said happily, as she leaned in and kissed Olivia sweetly. She turned to Abbie and Adam, who were still holding their glasses and frowned, "Aren't you two going to keep up?"

Abbie looked at Adam who just shrugged and knocked back his drink, finishing with a deep, rumbling 'aaaah' and a shake of his head. "You're up, Tex," he grinned.

Abbie rolled her eyes and downed the ocher alcohol in her glass in a long, smooth drink. "Oh I love me some whiskey," she purred. "Let's do another one!"

"Okay," Alex and Adam agreed as they both reached for another of their glasses – Adam picking up his vodka and Alex snagging her water. "Cheers."

Dinner progressed in an alcohol infused haze and before long every last scrap of nachos, enchiladas, chili rellenos, tamales, and fajitas disappeared into hungry, happy stomachs. The group was sitting around the table chatting amenably, when suddenly Abbie's normally whiskey smooth, now whiskey loud, voice shattered the calm.

"NO FUCKING WAY CABOT!"

"Uh oh," Olivia murmured as she glanced at her fiancée to see if she was the 'Cabot' that Carmichael was referring to. Thankfully it wasn't Alex, who was chatting happily with Kathy and Serena, but rather Adam who had the Texan's panties in a bunch.

"Totally," Adam grinned as he slid his hand higher up a laughing Paul's thigh.

"Adam," Paul warned as he caught the blonde's wandering hand and pulled it off his leg before it could travel much higher.

Adam turned and gave Paul a pretend scowl. "Are you saying that I can't beat her ass at arm wrestling?"

"No," Paul said evenly, trying to keep from laughing, "What I'm saying is that I don't think this is the appropriate venue to settle your dispute."

"I agree with Paul," Serena chimed in as she, too, was forced to pull a wandering hand from her thigh.

Abbie turned to Serena and pouted. "Buuuuut, sugah, honey, babycakes, love of my life…"

Alex laughed. "Awww."

"Shut up," Abbie growled. "Can I please, please, please just kick his ass real fast? Please? I promise that after I win I'll be a good girl for the whoooooooole rest of the night."

Serena laughed and shook her head. "You are incorrigible. And, no."

"What if I promise to be a bad girl for the rest of the night?" Abbie offered with a hopeful grin.

"Oh god!" Elliot groaned.

Abbie scowled. "Shut up Stabler," she warned. "And no, you can't watch John."

"Damn," John and Fin muttered.

Alex looked around the restaurant that, for the most part seemed oblivious to their table's dramatics, and sighed. "Just… do it fast," she said.

"I got twenty on Abbie," Munch announced as he pulled a bill from his wallet.

"I'll take that," Serena laughed as she pulled a folded bill from her clutch and tossed it into the center of the table.

"What? You don't think I'll win?" Abbie whined.

"I'll put twenty on Ms. Carmichael, then," Paul offered.

"Paul!" Adam snapped.

"What?" Paul grinned as he threw his money onto the rapidly growing pile.

"I'm in," Alex announced in a remarkably clear voice as she pulled a twenty from her purse and threw it into the pot. "Twenty on my brother."

"Thanks sis!"

"You better win," Alex warned.

"Okay!"

Soon enough the bets were all collected and the end of the table was cleared of anything and everything that would get in the combatants' way. Several of the restaurant's wait staff, as well as the patrons who were sitting around their group, had caught wind of what was happening and joined in the fun, adding their own bets (which were, surprisingly, in Abbie's favor) and gathering around to watch. What had started out as a semi-quiet dispute had morphed into an absolute circus.

"Best two out of three?" Adam offered with a grin as he settled into his chair and set his elbow on the table.

"YEAH!" the crowd cheered.

"You're on!" Abbie agreed loudly as she assumed her position opposite Adam.

"Oh. My. God," Alex laughed as she leaned into Olivia.

Olivia smiled and kissed Alex's forehead tenderly. "You know, just once it'd be nice to go out with everybody and not risk ending up on the eleven o'clock news."

"Where would the fun be in that?" Serena laughed.

"On three," Elliot, who had somehow been appointed the official for the contest, said. "Ready?"

Abbie and Adam nodded as they scowled impressively at each other.

"Okay," Elliot laughed. "One… two… three!"

Abbie and Adam both let out loud grunts of effort as they pushed against each other. Their hands hovered back and forth around their start position, with neither of them really gaining an advantage.

"Holy shit Carmichael," Adam grunted as he flexed, trying to shove Abbie's hand through the tabletop. "Where the fuck do you hide those muscles?"

"True Texas grit, sugah," Abbie growled as she went on the offensive. "You Northerners just can't compete."

"You think so… sugah?" Adam mocked as he started edging Abbie's hand down toward the tabletop. "Gotcha," he said as he slapped the back of Abbie's hand to the tablecloth. "I win."

The crowd blew up, either cheering Adam's win or bemoaning Abbie's loss – depending on which of the two they had bet on – which, of course, drew even more attention to what was happening and brought even more people over to watch.

"They're going to kick us out," Olivia groaned.

"Nah," Alex smiled. "You missed the time they decided to have a handstand competition here. If we didn't get kicked out then, we're fine now."

"A handstand competition?" Kathy asked.

"Mmm," Serena nodded. "Adam really was impressive that night."

"So, he won?" Fin chimed in, eyeing Adam speculatively.

"No," Alex grinned. "I did."

Olivia turned to her fiancée and grinned. "What?"

"Round two!" Elliot called out loudly. "On three. One… two… three!"

All conversation stopped as Abbie and Adam started arm-wrestling again. This time Abbie found a hidden supply of power and a not so hidden supply of sneakiness as she kicked him under the table to distract him as she slammed his hand to the tablecloth.

"YOU CHEATED!" Adam yelled as Paul hid his head in his hands with what sounded like a muffled, 'Lord in heaven'.

"If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'," Abbie grinned. "You never said there was no kicking allowed."

"It's a freaking arm wrestling match!" Adam argued, gesticulating wildly.

"She has a point, Adam," Paul murmured. "There were no rules established before you started."

"What ever happened to general sportsmanship?"

"And you call yourself a lawyer," Abbie chuckled. "Take what you're given and use it to win. Damn, didn't you learn anything in law school? Or, did your sister get all the brains in the family?"

"Aw, thanks Abbie!" Alex laughed.

Abbie grinned. "I was talking about Andy."

Alex scowled. "Beat her ass, Flash."

"You got it, Boner," Adam replied.

"Boner?" Munch whispered.

Fin grinned. "Well, I know I usually…"

Olivia reached out and punched Fin in the arm. Hard. "That is my future wife you're talking about, I'd watch what you say Odafin!"

Fin rubbed his arm where Olivia hit him. "Police brutality!" he screamed.

"You're a fucking cop!" Abbie yelled. "Suck it up you pussy."

"Oh god," Alex groaned.

"You're getting married?" a random waiter who had joined in the, um, festivities asked. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Alex and Olivia murmured.

"All right, it's all tied up!" Elliot announced loudly, getting into his role as the event's impromptu emcee. "Here we go, last round. Winner takes all. On three. One…"

The crowd watching joined in, "TWO!… THREE!"

Abbie and Adam went at each other with a vengeance, kicking each other under the table with a disturbing ferocity even as they arm wrestled above, neither of them giving an inch to the other.

Olivia smiled as she leaned in to whisper into Alex's ear, "Who do you think is going to win?"

"Dammit Abbie," Adam yelped as one of Abbie's kicks landed squarely on his patella tendon. "That fucking hurt!"

"That's the point! Don't be such a queen!" Abbie taunted as she aimed another kick at his legs.

Adam, though, had had enough. He reached out with a foot and gave Abbie's chair a solid kick, sending it flying backwards. "Hah!"

"What the fuck?" Abbie asked as she started to slide away from the table.

Adam quickly took advantage of Abbie's lack of attention to their arm wrestling match and slammed her hand into the table. "WooHoo! I win!"

"You suck," Abbie growled.

"I do," Adam agreed.

"He does," Paul chimed in.

"OH GOD!" the group yelled.

"Told you lesbians weren't the only ones who enjoy sex," Munch quipped.

"Yeah, but they're the most fun to picture having it," somebody from the crowd called out.

Fin grinned and shot his partner an 'I told you so' look. "See?"

"Oh god," Olivia groaned.

"We need to go out with them all more often," Kathy told Elliot with a grin. "This is the most fun I've had in AGES!"

Winnings were distributed to the people who had bet on Adam to win, while Abbie left for the bar and another shot or two of whiskey to drown her sorrows. Their tab was settled and they left the restaurant to a hailstorm of cheers and 'Congratulations', and their entire group was grinning like fools as they reached the front door.

"I'll see you guys later," Serena smiled as she pulled first Alex, then Olivia, into a hug. "I need to go retrieve Ms. Crabby Pants from the bar. Congrats you two, really. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks," Alex smiled, leaning into Olivia as the detective wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Is Abs going to be okay?"

Serena looked over her shoulder at Abbie who was talking with the bartender. "She should be. Just bruised her ego, I think. She's probably already plotting some kind of a rematch."

"I'll bet," Alex drawled. "Well, thanks for coming out tonight with us."

"My pleasure, honey," Serena assured her, giving her one last quick hug before departing to get Abbie from the bar.

"Congratulations, sis," Adam grinned as he pulled Alex into a hug. "You too," he reached out with his other arm and pulled Olivia in too. "Take good care of each other."

"We will," Alex and Olivia both murmured.

CHAPTER 9

Serena let out a soft sigh as she approached Abbie at the bar. She suspected that from the way the brunette was acting that there was something more significant weighing on her mind than losing a simple arm-wrestling match, but for the life of her she could not figure out what it was.

"Hey," she murmured as she slid onto the empty stool next to Abbie's. "What's going on?"

"Nothin'," Abbie drawled sullenly.

Serena frowned as her suspicions were proven correct. She leaned in closer to Abbie and placed a comforting hand on her thigh, which she immediately started rubbing slowly. "Hey, Abs. This is me. What's bothering you, baby?"

Abbie let out a ragged breath and just shrugged as she downed the whiskey she'd been playing with and set the glass next to two other empties which Serena hadn't noticed before. She'd been busy. "It's stupid," she muttered dismissively.

Serena looked from the empty glasses to Abbie, and realized that the Texan had passed 'happy' and moved straight on to 'emotional'. Most people never saw her this way, but every once in a while, if the conditions surrounding the drinking were just right, this is what happened. "So, tell me anyways."

Unfocused brown eyes looked up from polished mahogany. "I just… you know that I want to, right?"

Serena frowned. "Sorry, I'm just not following you. I'm going to need a little bit more, babe."

"It's stupid. Never mind."

Serena leaned in closer and brushed her lips ever so lightly across Abbie's cheek. "Tell me," she whispered.

"I do want to marry you but I'm just not ready yet," Abbie muttered.

Serena, who had been listening closely, almost as if she were expecting the jumbled reply that she got, smiled and pressed a longer, softer kiss to the corner of Abbie's mouth. "I know," she murmured. "I'm sorry I pushed you tonight, I was just playing around. You know that I'll wait as long as you need me to," she assured her in a soothing voice. "Now, why don't we go home, climb into bed, and you can let me hold you."

Abbie nodded and slid off the stool onto slightly unsteady legs. She relaxed against Serena when the blonde pulled her in close, letting her eyes close as she inhaled the intoxicating scent of her lover's perfume… and chocolate. "I love you."

"I know," Serena murmured as she started to lead Abbie toward the door. "I love you too."

Alex was standing in the middle of their oversized walk-in closet, smiling like a fool as she looked at her ring. She brushed a finger over the diamonds inlayed into the band, feeling their smoothness, feeling the slight dip that separated the stones from their platinum surround. She was so lost in her thoughts, in fact, that she literally jumped when strong hands wrapped around her hips from behind.

"You like it?" Olivia murmured as she leaned in to lay a slow, wet kiss to the sensitive hollow behind Alex's ear.

"Mmm," Alex hummed. "It's beautiful, Liv. Really."

Olivia smiled. "You're beautiful," she countered as she stepped in closer, so that she was pressed firmly against Alex's back.

Alex felt a familiar fire ignite low in her belly as she felt Olivia's body press into her own. She reached back with her right hand to grasp Olivia's hip, to pull the brunette in closer, and gasped when she came into contact with bare skin. "Liv," she purred.

Olivia chuckled at the tone of Alex's voice and nipped playfully at her neck. "I want you, Alexandra Cabot," she murmured as she rolled her hips forward to push into Alex's ass.

Alex smiled and turned around to wrap her arms around Olivia's neck. She smiled as she looked into her fiancée's smoldering eyes and hiked a brow suggestively. "What do you have in mind?"

Olivia grinned wolfishly as she leaned into kiss Alex hungrily. "I think you should hurry up and get undressed so you can come find out," she teased as she backed slowly away.

Alex unabashedly stared at Olivia as the brunette pulled away from her, her eyes drinking in the heavenly sight of so much toned, delicious skin. And then, before she could finish appropriately ogling the woman who would soon be her wife, Olivia gave her a cheeky grin and moved out of sight. "Damn," she muttered.

Olivia sauntered toward the bed and stopped to retrieve the item that was at the center of her ideas for the evening. She smiled knowingly to herself as she slipped it into place and climbed onto the bed, reclining back onto the pillows so that when Alex entered the bedroom she would see exactly what she 'had in mind' for the evening.

In the closet, Alex took her time removing first her blouse and then her slacks. She set each item onto their respective hangers and put them away where they belonged, making sure to smooth any wrinkles that may have formed in the few hours she had worn them. Once she was satisfied with the condition of her clothes, she reached behind herself to pinch open her bra, which she tossed into the hamper, quickly followed by her panties. She tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled, taking one last long, lingering look at the ring on her finger before she walked out of the closet and into the bedroom.

And stopped in her tracks at what she found waiting for her. "My god, Liv."

Olivia smiled and beckoned the blonde closer. "This," she waved one hand at her body, "was what I had in mind for the evening."

Alex licked her lips. "I… I uhm," she cleared her throat as she stumbled into motion again. "I like. Anything in particular strike your fancy, detective?" she purred as she stopped beside the bed to run a finger up Olivia's thigh. She found herself licking her lips again as she trailed her fingers inward to brush against the silicone appendage that was now nestled between her lover's legs.

Olivia felt her breath catch in her throat as she watched Alex's fingers travel slowly up the shaft of the double-ended cock she had slipped on. "I want to watch you ride me."

Alex swallowed thickly as Olivia's words seemed to caress her body before settling in a growing pool between her legs. She forced her eyes away from the blue appendage to look into Olivia's smoldering, unmistakably serious brown eyes. She smiled and nodded slowly before reaching into the still open drawer to pull out a small tube of lube. Usually it wasn't needed, their foreplay normally worked her into such a state that the little bit of help was not necessary, but she knew that she, while aroused, was not quite at the point to do this without a little assistance.

Once the cock was glistening with lube she wiped her hand off on a small washcloth that they kept in the drawer for just these occasions, and looked up to capture Olivia's gaze with her own as she climbed onto the bed and maneuvered herself into position above the toy cock.

Olivia smiled encouragingly and reached out to wrap her hands around Alex's thighs, squeezing the toned muscles encouragingly before she wrapped one hand around the base of the toy to help guide it into her lover while she slid her other hand up to rest upon Alex's hip. She watched, completely entranced as Alex slowly, so tortuously slowly, lowered herself onto the toy until it was buried completely inside her.

Alex licked her lips and smiled coquettishly at Olivia, whose eyes were now nearly black, as she began grinding down onto the brunette.

"Fuck, Alex," Olivia groaned, reaching out to grab hold of Alex's hips as the blonde's movements forced the toy to rub against her clit.

Alex winked. "I think that was the idea, wasn't it?" she teased as she pushed herself up. She moved her hips in a slow circle when it was just the head of the toy left inside her before she began to lower herself again, this time rolling her hips forward, purposefully pulling the toy into Olivia. She let out a low, throaty moan and smiled at the way Olivia's hands tightened upon her hips.

Olivia moaned at the way Alex moved, looked, felt. She intuitively knew that she couldn't actually feel Alex's warm, tight walls holding, rubbing, grasping at the fake cock she was wearing, but it sure as hell felt like she could. She watched Alex's abs flex as the blonde rocked over her, up and down, slowly rolling, canting, and grinding against her. It was, without a doubt, the single fucking sexiest thing she had ever seen. She tightened her hold on Alex's hips and pushed up into the blonde, and groaned when she felt Alex push herself down onto the toy and stop.

Yes, stop.

"Alex," Olivia whimpered as she tried to force the blonde back into motion.

Alex smiled and shook her head. "You wanted to watch," she reminded Olivia as she drank in the sight of her flushed and wanting lover. "So… watch. You don't have to do anything, baby," she purred, lowering her voice into the realm of silken sex that she knew affected Olivia just as much, and sometimes more, as a physical caress. "Leave it all to me," she urged huskily as she rolled her hips in a slow, teasing grind.

Olivia groaned, the groan turning into a deep, appreciative moan as Alex pushed herself up and began moving at a slightly faster pace. Rocking, rolling her hips as she slid up and down, pulling the cock deep inside her and holding it there, grinding against it before she pushed herself up and let her walls clench and grab at the invading appendage.

Alex let her eyes close as she gave herself over to the feeling of Olivia moving, sliding, and rubbing deep, so gloriously deep inside her. Given the option, this particular aspect of their lovemaking would not be her first choice, but that didn't mean she was unable to appreciate the stretch, the fullness, the friction the silicone cock provided when they did use it. "You feel so good, Liv," she murmured as she pushed herself a little faster, still rolling her hips forward on every down stroke and rocking them back on every upstroke.

"God, Alex," Olivia grunted as she watched Alex move above her, watched Alex ride her faster and faster, slowly, incrementally faster until a thin sheen of sweat was visible on her pale, perfect skin. "My god, you're gorgeous," she murmured as she ran her hands over Alex's abdominals, feeling the muscles work under her fingertips.

Alex smiled and reached down to guide Olivia's hands up to her breasts, squeezing her fingers over Olivia's until the brunette took the hint and began rolling, kneading, and massaging her. "Mmm, Liv," she purred as she left Olivia's hands where they were and moved her own to cradle, fondle, and tease Olivia's breasts as well.

She smiled as she felt Olivia's hips beginning to work under her, rocking with her, meeting her thrust for thrust. "I thought you wanted to watch me ride you?" she teased as she tweaked Olivia's nipples.

Olivia's response was immediate. "I want to watch you come."

And she didn't have to wait long to see it because, only a few strokes later, Alex's eyes snapped shut, her jaw falling open as she felt the coil that had been building inside her snap, sending wave after glorious wave of ecstasy rolling through her. She pushed herself down, grinding onto the toy, letting her muscles clench and grab at the appendage as she rode out her orgasm.

Olivia groaned as she felt Alex convulsing around the toy. She could feel Alex's muscles pulling and grasping at the toy and the blonde's rolling hips had that same toy pushing and rubbing against her clit in such a way that her orgasm overtook her, causing her to scream her pleasure to the ceiling even as Alex moaned and moved above her.

Alex rolled off of Olivia as her orgasm eased to a series of sporadic, random spasms and wrapped her arms around her lover's waist. "You are amazing, Liv."

Olivia laughed and turned her head to capture Alex's lips in a slow, languid kiss. "I think you deserve all the credit for that one, Counselor."

Alex shook her head and laughed softly. "God, I love you, baby."

"Mmm," Olivia hummed as she reached down and removed the toy they had both just thoroughly enjoyed. She tossed it blindly toward the foot of the bed as she rolled over onto Alex, covering the younger woman's lithe body with her own. "I love you too," she murmured, dipping her head down and delivering another slow, loving kiss to the blonde's lips.

"Mmm," Alex purred as she ran her hands up and down Olivia's back. "So, Kathy got me thinking…"

"Should I be jealous?" Olivia teased as she brushed her lips over Alex's cheek. "We're lying in bed, naked, I might add, and you're thinking about my partner's wife?"

"Shut up," Alex laughed. "No, I mean – when she asked where we were going to get married. Do you have any preferences?"

Olivia shrugged. "Not really. I mean, I'd like to do it in a state where it's legal so that way we really are married, but besides that – no."

"So, then," Alex murmured. "Connecticut or New Hampshire?"

Olivia pursed her lips as she considered the two choices Alex had laid out. "Well, Connecticut would be easier for everybody to drive to."

"It would," Alex agreed. "So, we'll do it in Connecticut then."

"Okay," Olivia replied, laying a wet, smack-a-roo type kiss to Alex's cheek.

Alex laughed. "Focus, Benson!"

"I am focusing!" Olivia argued as she began laying slow, wet kisses over Alex's jaw and down her throat. "I'm, focusing on you being naked under me," she murmured as she raked her teeth over Alex's clavicle.

"Oooooh," Alex moaned appreciatively as her body responded to Olivia's touch. "When?"

"You're naked now, honey," Olivia chuckled as she moved lower, until she was able to pull a rosy nipple between her lips to suckle.

"God so good," Alex grunted. "Fall?"

"I fell in love with you a while ago, sweetie."

"You're seriously not paying attention, are you?"

"I am paying very close attention," Olivia argued, looking up at Alex and giving the blonde the lopsided smile she knew never failed to get Alex to cave to whatever it was she wanted. "This," she blew across the wet nipple she'd been tonguing moments before, "for example. I'm paying very close attention to."

Alex licked her lips and groaned as she watched Olivia's tongue begin lashing lightly over her nipple. All thoughts of wedding planning were lost as Olivia's hot, wet, hungry mouth surrounded her, sucking hungrily against her.

"Do you have an objection, Counselor?" Olivia smirked as she pulled away.

"Yeah," Alex answered roughly. "You stopped."

Olivia smiled as she returned her mouth to Alex's body, effectively ending any further discussion of the details for their pending nuptials for the rest of the night.

CHAPTER 10

A month later…

Alex took her glasses off and set them wearily down onto the file she'd been studying with her left hand as her right reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose, as if by that action alone she would be able to prevent her headache from growing worse. It was ten o'clock on a Thursday night and her detectives were out serving a warrant she had just procured for them for a suspect who liked to rape women at gunpoint, and all she could think about was how she'd been forced to stand by and watch Olivia go through the pre-raid motions, double-checking her sidearm and grabbing her Kevlar. A tight, wholly unconvincing smile, a look demanding that the brunette return safely was all she'd been able to share with her detective before Olivia gave her a small, reassuring smile and a look that promised she'd be safe.

That was two hours ago, and she still hadn't heard from Olivia.

She practically jumped out of her chair when her phone did actually ring. Her hand snapped out like a viper to grab the Blackberry and she answered with her usual brusque, "Cabot."

Across town, Olivia held her phone to her ear and let a genuine smile crease her face even as she watched Elliot jump into the ambulance next to her to ride to the hospital with their suspect. "Hey," she finally answered.

Alex felt the knot of worry in her stomach loosen the moment she heard her fiancée's voice. "How'd it go?"

"Well, on the bright side we have several witnesses giving statements at this very moment that Walton had pulled a gun on us and was refusing arrest."

Alex shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "And the bad news?"

"Um… I'm going to be a little late getting home tonight," Olivia answered vaguely.

"Liv, what aren't you telling me?" Alex demanded.

"It's just a scratch, but you know how the boys are… so overprotective. I'm fine, really, but they're making me…"

"You were shot?"

"Just a scratch," Olivia argued, wincing at the tone of Alex's voice more than the sting of her wound. "I'm fine, really."

Alex pinched the bridge of her nose harder and squeezed her eyes shut. She'd had a bad feeling about this one before the detectives had even left the precinct. "What hospital?"

"You don't have to come down, sweetie. I'm fine. And Walton won't be talking for a while because after he shot me, Elliot shot him."

"Good."

"Tell that to El when he's being grilled by IAB."

"I'll represent him if it comes down to him needing counsel," Alex replied. "From what you said it was a clean shoot. Now, stop trying to distract me and tell me which hospital you're going to."

"Memorial."

"I'll meet you there." Alex jumped to her feet and grabbed her coat off the rack in the corner of her office. "I love you," she said softly into the open line.

"Love you too, Alex. I'll see you in a bit. Drive safe."

Alex had to fight the urge to throw her phone at the wall in frustration as she gathered her belongings, cramming everything haphazardly into her satchel, before she grabbed her keys and hurried to lock up her office. Five minutes later she was striding purposefully across the subterranean parking lot under the DA's building, her heels clicking a sharp staccato that echoed through the nearly empty concrete cavern.

Alex looked around the emergency room as she entered, her eyes automatically cataloguing everyone and everything as she searched for a familiar face. A face she found scurrying toward her wearing an apologetic smile. "Detective Tutuola," she greeted Fin formally. "Where is she?"

"Back this way," he hitched a thumb over his shoulder. "Just getting stitched up now."

"What happened?" Alex asked as she fell into step beside the rough looking detective, the two of them cutting an authoritative swath through the throng of doctors, nurses, interns, and patients littering the hall.

Fin let out a loud breath. "Stabler knocked on the door, there was no answer, so he used the key Liv'd gotten from the Super to open it up. We split up to clear the apartment and Liv found him in the bedroom. Stabler got there first. She was trying to talk him down but the guy freaked, said he wasn't going to go to jail, and fired at her. El had a shot and he took it. Hit Walton in the chest, docs don't know if he's going to make it."

"Good riddance," Alex muttered as she came to a stop beside Fin outside a private examination room. "She in here?"

Fin nodded. "Yeah. Cap was in earlier, before he went up to check on Stabler and Walton."

Alex turned to him and placed a hand on his arm. "Thanks for looking out for her," she told him.

He just smiled knowingly and tilted his head toward Liv's room. "Go see the wife," he replied. "I'll go check on El, see if the IAB bastards have gotten to him yet."

"If they have," Alex called out. "Come find me. I want to be there when they interview him."

Fin nodded. "You got it, Counselor."

Alex nodded once and turned to the door, reaching out with a shaking hand to grasp the lever and push it inward slowly, as if she were afraid of what she'd find. A soft sigh of relief tumbled from her lips as she saw Olivia sitting up on the bed wearing a pair of scrub pants and her bra, her right arm over her head as a doctor was hunched down next to her side.

Olivia saw the door swing open and looked up with a smile. "Hey you."

"Hey yourself," Alex retorted, her voice rough with barely restrained emotion. She was relieved to see that Olivia was alive and well and otherwise fine, but the simple fact of the matter was that she'd been shot and, had the fates been in a particularly vicious mood that night, she'd have been killed.

Olivia saw the tears beginning to pool in Alex's eyes and knew that the blonde was barely keeping it together. "Almost done?" she asked the doctor who was stitching up her side.

"Almost done," he drawled in a distracted tone. "There," he said as he sat up and studied his handiwork. "Just have to put a bandage over this so your clothes don't rub against the sutures."

"Good," Olivia replied, her eyes never once leaving Alex's as she silently urged the young doctor to finish up, which he thankfully did not even a minute later.

"Right," he said as he stood, removing his gloves as he went. "Try not to saturate the sutures and you'll need to be back-in in a week to have them removed," he lectured, offering Alex a small smile in greeting as he eased past the blonde to the door. "I'll have one of the nurses pop in with your discharge paperwork and you're good to go."

Olivia nodded absently as she slipped the scrub top the nurses had given her over her head, wincing only slightly as her side protested the movement. Alex watched her lover carefully, noting the darkening circles of exhaustion under her eyes. "Liv?"

Olivia finished putting the top on and slid off the bed. "I'm fine," she murmured reassuringly as she crossed the small space to pull Alex into a soft embrace. "I'm fine."

Alex let herself be enveloped in Olivia's arms, burying her face in the crook of the older woman's neck and breathing in deep the familiar scent of her lover. "You scared me," she whispered as she wrapped her right arm around Olivia's waist, her left remaining limp by her side for fear of hurting the brunette.

"I'm sorry," Olivia apologized as she pressed a soft kiss to Alex's hair.

Alex took a deep breath and held it in for a moment before letting it go slowly. "I love you."

Olivia smirked and reached up to lift Alex's face to hers. "I love you too," she whispered before leaning in to kiss Alex slowly, softly, letting the kiss both acknowledge and expel their fears and worries of the night's events.

Alex smiled as she pulled back and ran an adoring hand over Olivia's jaw. "You know, if you didn't want to go up to my mother's this weekend for that engagement party – you could have just told me."

Olivia chuckled softly. "And I thought I was being so sneaky," she replied, playfully tickling Alex's side as she kissed the blonde again. "I'm fine, Alex. Really."

Alex nodded. "I know, but…"

"No 'buts'," Olivia interrupted her. "I'm fine. We got him. That's all that matters."

A knock on the door interrupted them before Alex could respond, and a young nurse came into the room. "All right, Detective Benson, I have your discharge paperwork here along with some written instructions for the care of your sutures," she called out, smiling at the two women who were still wrapped in each other's arms.

Olivia gave Alex a small, regretful smile before she released the younger woman so she could sign the required forms. "Here you go," she said, handing the clipboard and pen back to the nurse. "Ready?" she asked, turning to Alex who had busied herself with collecting Olivia's things.

"When you are," Alex replied, standing up straight and slipping Olivia's shield and gun into her purse.

Olivia smirked and waved a hand at the door, indicating for Alex to lead the way. "I want to check on Stabler real quick, before we head home," Alex told her lover, but before they could even step foot out of the room Elliot and Fin appeared in the doorway wearing identical, triumphant grins. "Do I want to know?" Alex asked.

"Yup," Elliot replied. "Just got released by IAB. Must be a full moon or something, they asked like five questions and cleared me. How you doing Liv?"

"Good to go, told you it was just a scratch," Olivia answered.

"Scratches don't require stitches," Alex interjected.

Olivia rolled her eyes and wrapped an arm around Alex's waist. "I'm fine," she assured the blonde. "I'll be in for a bit tomorrow morning," she told her partner.

"I thought you took tomorrow to make the drive to Boston?" Fin asked.

Olivia shrugged. "I did, but we were planning on getting a late start anyways, and Cap wants my report before I leave."

"Nothing will be processed before the weekend," Alex argued.

"Alex," Olivia murmured. "I'm fine. It'll take maybe an hour, and then we'll be able to hit the road."

Alex chewed her lower lip thoughtfully for a moment before conceding with a small, barely perceptible nod. "Fine. Now, let's get you home, cleaned up, and into bed."

"Have fun in bed," Elliot laughed, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Stabler, she's been shot. The only thing Olivia will be doing in bed tonight is sleeping," Alex replied dryly before giving Olivia a pointed look that clearly said it was time for them to go.

Olivia awoke the next morning to find Alex sitting up in the bed next to her, her sexy black glasses perched precariously on her nose as she worked quietly at her laptop. She smiled indulgently as she let her eyes roam over her lover's delicate features, taking the moment to enjoy the simple intimacy of waking up next to another person.

"How are you feeling?" Alex asked as she glanced away from her work to look at her lover.

"Fine," Olivia replied automatically.

Alex arched a brow challengingly.

"Fine," Olivia grumbled. "A little sore, but it's manageable. Whatcha working on?"

"Just checking the IAB report on the shooting from last night."

"They finished it that quick?" Olivia asked, her surprise apparent in her tone as she rolled onto her back and stretched gingerly.

"You guys made the eleven o'clock news," Alex informed Olivia. "I'm guessing the Brass wanted to make things clear real fast that it was a clean shoot so that the public didn't freak out."

"Freak out?" Olivia teased. "Is that the official legal term?"

"Would you have rather I'd said: 'gather together in an outrage against New York's law enforcement personnel'?" Alex chuckled.

"Freak out is better," Olivia conceded. "What time is it?"

Alex glanced down at the clock in the corner of her screen. "A little after nine."

"What time were we supposed to leave?" Olivia asked with a groan as she gingerly pushed herself to a sitting position.

"Whenever we'd managed to stop having sex, get packed, showered, and in the car," Alex replied drolly. "But, as we're going to have to substitute step one with an impromptu trip to the precinct, I'm willing to bet that we'll get on the road sooner than we would have otherwise."

Olivia's shoulders slumped. "I liked plan A better."

"Me too," Alex agreed with a small laugh. "Are you going to be okay to shower on your own?"

Olivia nodded. "But if I said no would I get my very own Florence Nightingale to join me?"

"You would. But only for non-recreational purposes," Alex replied.

"Dammit."

Alex laughed loudly and set her laptop down onto the middle of the bed as she swung her legs over the side to stand. Olivia watched the blonde make her way around the foot of the bed and smiled up at her fiancée as the blonde stopped in front of her. "I can give you a good morning kiss though," Alex murmured, reaching out to run the back of her hand over Olivia's jaw.

Olivia grinned and pushed herself to her feet, eagerly gathering the younger woman in her arms as she claimed her lips in a sweet good-morning kiss. "You know," she murmured between kisses, "this kiss would have been a lot better if you hadn't gotten out of bed."

"Mmm," Alex hummed. "I know. But I didn't want us to get carried away. You're hurt."

"I'm fine," Olivia argued, playfully walking the blonde backwards until the younger woman was pinned between her and the wall. "I will never be too injured to love you," she murmured as she began working her lips down over Alex's jaw to nip at her pulse point.

Alex groaned at the feeling of Olivia's lips against her throat. "Liv," she whimpered.

"Alex," Olivia smiled against her fiancée's neck. She could feel the blonde becoming more pliant under her and knew that Alex's resolve was crumbling. She brushed her lips down the column of Alex's throat before latching onto the blonde's collarbone and sucking against it hungrily as she ran a questing hand up Alex's leg and under her sleep shirt. She was millimeters from her goal when the attorney's phone began ringing. "Dammit," Olivia grunted.

"You weren't getting much further anyways," Alex told her seriously as she dove across the bed to grab her phone. "Cabot."

"Hey, Alex," Elliot Stabler greeted her. "I was just calling to see how Liv is doing this morning."

Alex grinned. "I'll let her tell you," she replied as she held the phone out toward Olivia. "Liv, Stabler wants to know how you're feeling this morning."

"FRUSTRATED, YOU FUCKING COCKBLOCK!" Olivia yelled petulantly.

Alex laughed and shook her head at her fiancée's antics as she returned the phone to her ear. "You hear that?"

"I'm sorry," Elliot laughed.

"Don't be. At least this way she's pissed at you instead of me. Are you going to be at the precinct later when we swing by for her to fill out her report?"

"Should be, why?"

"Just trying to figure out how many donuts to bring."

"Boston Creams from that little place by your apartment?" Elliot asked hopefully.

"Of course," Alex answered.

"Two dozen?"

"That seems a little excessive. But I'll see what I can do."

"So, are you sure you're ready for this?" Alex asked Olivia later that afternoon as they drove down the familiar roads that led to her mother's house.

Olivia yawned and nodded, stretching as much as she could in her seat. It had been a long day of sitting down, first at the precinct as she wrote up her report, and then in the car as they made the drive to Boston. "Why wouldn't I be? I don't have to wear a dress, do I?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "No, Liv. We packed your pantsuit, remember? I meant meeting all of my mother's friends; they can be a rather… intimidating group."

Olivia laughed and reached across the narrow center console to rest her hand on Alex's thigh. "Babe, will they be anything like your Cousins last Thanksgiving?"

Alex laughed and shook her head. "No, I don't believe they will. But, the majority of the Cousins will be at the dinner. Jill's the only one who couldn't make the trip this time. Maggie said she called earlier in the week about some serial killer wreaking havoc on San Francisco and she and Lindsay weren't going to be able to make it."

"That's too bad," Olivia murmured. She'd been looking forward to hanging out with Boxer. "So that leaves, who, then?"

"Of the Cousins? Adam and Paul," Alex grinned as she remembered the way Adam whined when he was arm-wrestling Abbie. "And then the usual suspects, Bryan, Bryn, Jake, John and Andy – and their better, more respectable halves, of course."

Olivia laughed. "So, how long until I'm considered your 'better, more respectable half'?"

Alex smirked. "That's up to you, my love."

"Maggie and Matt making the trip?" Olivia asked as they turned off the main road and onto the Cabot's long private drive.

"Uh huh," Alex nodded. "I believe Maggie came up last Friday to help Mother with the whole thing, and last I heard Matt would be driving up tomorrow with Jenny."

"And your mother feels safe unleashing all of you on her friends?" Olivia asked, raising a brow questioningly.

Alex chuckled. "Of course. I've seen the guest list – the majority of the guest list has known the family so long, the odds are pretty high that the vast majority of them may have even changed all of our diapers at one time."

"That's just wrong."

Alex laughed again and nodded. "It is. But, to answer your original question, they've been exposed to the lot of us long before now, so it'll be fine. Plus, I know Mother is making all of us," she leveled a heavy look on Olivia to indicate that the brunette was included in the 'us', "swear that we'll be on our best behavior while the dinner party is going on."

"And that'll work?"

"Sweetie," Alex chuckled as she pulled to a stop in front of the garage, "if you think my temper is bad, you don't ever want to see my mother lose it."

Part 11

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